Tenzin Kunga - Nepal/Tibet
Trek Aid
Tenzin Kunga is a Tibetan in exile, living in Pokhara, Nepal. His mother managed to escape Tibet in one of earliest waves of refugees making the perilous journey through the mountains, around the same time as the Dalai Lama himself escaped.
Via an aid agency in UK (Tibet Relief Fund of UK) I originally began to sponsor his school fees in 1997 (when he was 7 years old). I eventually went on to sponsor in his schooling for 12 years.
In 1998 I joined an 'aid-trek' in Nepal with TREK-AID where during 3 weeks trekking through stunning landscapes of the Annapurna region, towered-over by some of the world's highest peaks, we also stayed at and worked in several villages and Tibetan communities along the way.
At each we were able to connect with local people and be a part of their world briefly, helping them develop and fund new projects. For example, a sewing machine to make traditional costumes for their cultural performances; conversion of an old stable into a community hall and place to gather to enjoy keeping their culture alive; a new building for village elders to pray and meditate in. At each we were handing over 'real money' to make these projects happen.
Back in Pokhara, being welcomed into his simple family home in the refugee community and experience a little of his world, beyond the many school reports and letters we’d exchanged was a priceless and humbling experience.
Tenzin Kunga was born with a cleft palette and as he grew into adolescence he needed further surgery and speech therapy to help him live a more normal life. With good support from my own social network, I was able to raise the additional funds needed to help him and the family through that time.
When he was 19, he wanted to go to college and study computing; a 4-year course, which he asked me if I could sponsor. After some discussion about colleges and course fees etc, I agreed to provide 50% of his yearly expenses and course fees, which as you'll imagine makes a huge difference for him, and not having to put his family into more debt, as so often can happen with young men/students over there.
Before the end of his final year, at age 23 Tenzin Kunga landed a much coveted job within the administration of the Tibetan community, with his own office and responsibility with the projects' accounting. He's now in a position to contribute back into his community and a role-model to other younger Tibetans trying to make a little progress in very difficult circumstances.
Making such a contribution in the lives of others like Tenzin Kunga has unavoidably also made an impact in my own life.
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